Passing Along
by ScrollPirate
Summary: The nation to the north of the Dynasty - the Empire - is starting a war. If they take over the Dynasty they get an all-access pass to the Mortal Realm. The Warlords have also been given an ultimatum - they can't use their armors... OCxOC, DaisxKayura
1. Prologue

Ronin Warriors: Passing Along  
Nikki Kino

Prologue  
The Beginning

Dark billowing clouds of a fiery red smoke choked the tight atmosphere of the North building in the World Trade Center. A young 17 year-old girl stood terrified as she tightly clutched hold of the tiny Taiwanese girl in the protection of her shaking arms. The girl screamed and cried, almost rendering the one holding her deaf... as if the cacophony of the burning building surround her wasn't loud enough. The father of the Taiwanese baby cried in agony as he was trapped under a small growing mountain of fallen derbies, fire, and smoke.  
"Keep... her... safe..." he managed to painfully heave out. Nodding hastily the teenager reached with one trembling hand for his, amazed at her own patience for not having run yet.  
"I promise!" she yelled loudly to get her voice over the noise of the building which seemed to be angrily replying to the assault it had received from the air. A sudden blast from somewhere else in the building nearly sent the teenager on top of the burning mass in front of her. The girl squealed even more loudly and more terrified. The man under the pile screamed out in pain as his body was shifted underneath the "Hell Pile". He just barely held onto his own shaky conscience.  
"N..na...me..." he struggled out, gasping for air.  
"Nikki Kino!" she replied as loud and enunciate as she could to be sure he heard her.  
"Nick...ey. Boy... named...," he forced out again. She smiled, showing she understood. He smiled out a shaky smile of thanks then his eyes dulled. They stared strait ahead in a blank stare, red and puffy from smoke and tears. His mouth drooped in a sloppy smile with a tinge of pain. It slowly – but quickly enough – dawned on her that the man lying before her, the father of the baby in her arms, was dead. Realization quickly came to her that the room was crumbling, as were the ones above her.  
"AHH!" Nikki screamed as a small pocket of fire near her suddenly burst up, singeing her clothes. "Run. Run! RUN! I'M GONNA DIE!" Screaming at herself she started crying. "I don't want to die!" Sobbing she choked on the smoke in the air and fell to the floor. The baby in her arms was having some problems breathing too. It didn't dawn on her until after the baby began to stop screaming. "I'm right.. I gotta run..." heading for the stairs, wondering why in the world she didn't do that from the beginning, Nikki flung the door open and began sprinting through the smoke. As she kept running she saw no other living people and began to wonder what it was like outside. Down those stairs she ran as fast as she could, running into a few fire-fighters along the way who were surprised to see someone up as far as she was. Following their only advice she clutched the child in her arms tightly and didn't slow her pace. If anything, she quickened.  
After what seemed dozens of floors a heart wrenching, mind shattering sound echoed as if a great chasm of destruction. The building was collapsing.  
"NO!!!" Nikki screamed. "NOT NOW! NOT NOW! SOMEONE HELP ME!!!" The baby in her arms was screaming and coughing. "SOMEONE HELP US!"  
CRASH!  
A chunk of ceiling crashed into the side of her head. Instinctively she twisted the child away from there as her vision fell blank. All she knew was she felt something crash into her head, warm arms wrapping around her waist, and then nothing.  
All went silent.


	2. The Coming Battle

Ronin Warriors: Passing Along  
Nikki Kino

Chapter One  
The Coming Battle

As suddenly as everything had gone black, Nikki woke up. The sickening feeling of death, the heart-wrenching terror of what was about to happen, and the pain of being hit with falling building pieces were no longer present. She felt no pain, she felt no fear, and she felt no sickness. She felt normal, as if waking up on her couch at home.  
For some reason she couldn't see out of her left eye, but after bringing her hand up to inspect it, she realized why. She wore a bandage over it.  
Turning to her left she saw a balcony behind transparent lavender drapes. The sky beyond was surprisingly a purplish color. Not the black, indigo, or blue she expected. It was a beautiful deep, deep purple. The floor was a stone-marble and the room she was in was much bigger than her own, which was a fairly large size as it was.  
A noise directed her attention to her right and she noticed a man that she hadn't noticed when she had awakened. He sat next to the bed, behind her head.  
"It's good to see you're awake," a strange, liquid-like voice greeted from her right. She turned to face him and was met by a man with cinnamon brown hair and teal green eyes.  
"Wha't," she tried to force out. Clearing her throat she found it quite dry and unwilling to conveniently cooperate.  
"I will give you some information I'm sure that you will find reassuring," he started slowly, seeming to know what she was asking. "You're in a place known as the Nether Realm, in the kingdom of the Dynasty. It's not necessarily a save place right now, but it is safer than the place you were previous." He paused to let her think for a moment. He then continued, "Neither you, nor the baby girl you had in your arms, are dead. The young child may have breathing problems for awhile, but other than that she is fine. You however, we weren't able to safe in time to prevent permanent damage. Unfortunately you are blind out of your left eye." Again he paused to let what he said sink in. He spoke slowly, surely, and relaxed in a comforting way.  
Suddenly a wind blew by the window causing the transparent drapes to flutter which allowed light from the moon to flow in. It reflected off of his clothes which appeared to be royal blue robes, and with what appeared a white robe underneath. A cloth pouch hung around his neck and he appeared to look like a wise man of ancient times, yet at the same time, he seemed to look like a warrior from the distant past.  
"I've given you very little information, but it should suffice for now. You should be able to rest a little easier now, even though you probably won't remember what I'm telling you." He smiled warmly again and Nikki felt as if Sleep was tugging at the corners of her mind, trying to drag her back. Somewhere in her mind she understood that he was probably right about not remembering. It still puzzled her.  
"Why tell me?" she asked getting her voice back. She sounded and talked as if severely sedated.  
"To give you peace so you may sleep with fewer worries."  
"Hm," she mumbled. "Thanks?" She barely breathed that last word out before she let herself fall back into the pillow beneath her head and under the warm blankets protecting her from cold. She fell into a silent sleep.  
The man who had been sitting next to her stood up and smiled at her. He then turned to the door and walked across the marble-stone floor. When he reached for the knob he let his fingers settle on it and turned to look back at her.  
"Dark days are ahead of you. Sleep peacefully? while you have the chance." He then gracefully left the room and made his way down, around, and past many passages and corridors. After a few minutes of walking he finally reached near the Grand Hall in the lower levels of the Ancient castle. As he approached the entrance a man was standing there with cobalt colored hair and a scar over his left eye. Laughter came from inside the hall and he knew it to be from a certain indigo haired priestess and the small child Nikki had been clinging onto.  
"Did she wake up?" the man at the door asked.  
"Briefly, yes. She fell asleep soon afterward. I believe that she will awaken later this evening."  
"Hn?" After a few seconds he yawned.  
"What was that yawn for, Cale?" a white haired, but slightly youthful appearing man asked coming up behind him. "You do know that we'll be having company here quite soon. You wouldn't want to show that in front of them now would you?"  
"Whatever, Dais. It's just the Sandstrykers. No big deal. They'll tell us how Lord Gaedon's army is growing - or depleting, though that's less likely." Dais looked annoyed that Cale could so easily just brush the Sandstrykers off but refused to start a fight. If Lord Gaedon's spies were nearly as good as the Sandstrykers then they were all in trouble.  
Anubis, sensing trouble between the two - though only slight - stepped in and put a hand on each of his comrade's shoulders. "We have a child in the Hall, so no fighting please."  
"I wasn't going to start," they both stated as a matter-of-fact. Anubis chuckled and walked into the Hall, followed by Dais. Cale stayed at the entrance. The woman with Indigo colored hair bounced the small Taiwanese girl on her knee and giggled. A man sat next to her with an awe-inspired smile on his face. (A/N: More like 'Aww-inspired'.) His green bangs waved in his face and he had his hair pulled back into a pony tail, just going past his collarbone.  
"Hello, sweetheart," Dais greeted as he walked up and bent down to give the woman a kiss. She returned the greeting and turned back to bouncing the baby.  
"Just think, Kayura," Cale commented from the doorway, "You'll have one of those in about six months.  
"I know, and I'm excited!" she exclaimed happily. The baby laughed and cooed on her lap.  
"It's been awhile, Sekhmet," Dais commented to the man sitting next to Kayura and the baby. Sekhmet looked up.  
"Yeah, the front lines have been busy preparing for what may come ahead. Fights have been starting up within our own camps. They've calmed down since I was there last, but that's no promise that it'll stay that way. They'll continue fighting with each other until this war breaks out, either that or the unlikely chance that it won't they'll be able to go home and rest easily with their wives.  
"Too bad you don't have one, Sekh."  
"I don't see you with one either, Cale." The two laughed at each other as they're own little war over who'd get married first fired up for a minute. The battled back and forth a few playful words then dropped it as Kayura sighed loudly with an I-have-to-put-up-with-these-two-idiots-all-the-time smile.  
Suddenly the baby giggled loudly as Sekhmet kidnapped her from Kayura and began to twirl around the large room with her. The four in the 'audience' laughed as they watched him.  
"He's changed a lot, huh? Back when we fought with Talpa he would have NEVER acted this way. In fact, he probably would have scoffed at the thought of a child gracing his presence," Anubis commented. Dais, Cale and Kayura didn't say anything, but silently agreed.  
"I think it also has to do with a girl," Cale commented. All three looked up at him as Sekhmet was too far away to hear. He was all the way out in the middle of the Grand Hall.  
"What do you mean?" Kayura asked. Cale shrugged. It annoyed her when he answered like that. He could feel the daggers emanating from her glaring eyes on him until he finally decided to tell.  
"Oh, the way he's acting. I'm no expert, but seriously. It doesn't look like a bad suggestion to how he's become a little more happier. He's got a weird little... bounce, if you will, in his walk. He spends more time out on the battle field than he used to, which gives me to options to choose from: she's a female warrior, or she's on his way their or back. Also - he's twirling around the room with a baby... if THAT's not proof enough, what is?" Kayura looked over to see him dancing and twirling with the child... a side of him that almost made her twitch if she weren't giggling.  
Dais, however, was unnerved. "Hey, Sekhmet, go back to the psycho-emo person you used to be!"  
"Emo? I've never been emo. The purple eyeshadow was a part of my outfit as the snake. No stereotyping here. Lady Kayura, did you ever find out the name of this little one?"  
"No, I didn't. I don't think anyone did. The only one who knows is currently unconscious." She looked up at Dais.  
"The child's name never came up, and her father wasn't there when I got there. They were in a stairwell and even if he was nearby, it was too chaotic to have known. It looked like something that would've happened while we were still Dark Warlords. It was just... terrible. I don't know if the child has family anywhere. No name, no family, and if she's going to stay here we need to alert Mortal Realm authorities that we've found a baby and a 17-year-old girl named Nikki Kino, so that they aren't presumed dead." Cale and Sekhmet nodded as they both stood up.  
"We will go and tell them," Cale stated. They both headed off to change into Mortal Realm style clothing. The child bouncing on Kayura's knee cooed and giggled as Dais knelt down to watch her babyish antics. He'd seen children run and play in the city, but it had been ages since he'd actually seen a baby in something other than old photographs - a Moral Realm invention. He was after all over 450 years old in a land where time rolls by slowly, and the most change that happened were the wars created by greedy rulers longing to rule the Evil Dynasty. They'd dropped the Evil and it was just known as the Dynasty now. The saying, 'Life is short,' doesn't necessarily hold the right ring in a land of strange, timeless, mystic forces such as the Nether Realm is.  
"Excuse me, Milords, Milady." a servant girl spoke up from the entrance. All three looked over to her. She continued softly, but loud enough to be heard, "The Sandstryker twins seek an audience with you."  
"Thank you," Anubis gestured. "Would you do something for me, young lady?"  
"Of course, Milord."  
"While we are in this meeting, would you kindly stay here with this little one?"  
She stood for a moment surprised then answered, "Of course, milord." Anubis smiled as Kayura stood up and walked over to the servant. She put the child in the servant's arms and patted both of them on the head.  
"Good luck, she's lots of fun."  
With that, Anubis thanked the girl and left her with the child. Dais and Kayura followed him to the throne room.  
"Welcome back, Sandstrykers," Dais warmly greeted.  
"It's a pleasure, Lord Dais. Truely."  
"What have you gathered?"  
"Lord Gaedon's forces have greatly increased. He has almost more soldiers than the Dynasty could handle without calling out to our neighbor to the East for help. His influential powers are almost commendable." The twins spoke back and forth and at times together.  
"This isn't good..." Kayura muttered in a clear voice. "He knows we don't want a war, and that our Eastern neighbors are less than willing to come to our aid, yet he is doing all in his power to start one!" Dais put a hand on her shoulder to calm her down. Her hands clenched the War Table in front of her. Maps and diagrams covered its surface.  
Evil men come by the dozen's. We have kept the peace so far, and if we must declare war, it must be soon," Anubis announced.  
"I must concur with Lord Anubis." One of the two Sandstrykers put in, "If you don't then he will declare war on you and start it on your front."  
"Maybe that's what he wants. And suppose he's not ready to declare war just yet? Suppose he just wants to strengthen his forces? Kayura pointed out.  
"You know how doubtful that is," Dias countered. "If he's not ready for a war he's igniting then that's his problem. And if he's stalling just to strengthen forces, then that's all the more reason to attack sooner than later. He already has a surmounting number.  
"We also agree," Sekhmet announced entering the room with Cale on his heels.  
"We've returned," Cale leaned on the table and nodded towards the Sandstrykers. Dais and Anubis filled them in on what they missed.

- - -

_Where... am I?_ Nikki wondered slowly. Opening her eyes she found herself in the same room she'd woken up in before. Only now the sky was a dark yellow color, not the blue, white, or grey she was used to.  
She remembered waking up earlier, but nothing else. A conversation with someone perhaps? The possibility rolled through her head and something in the back of her mind said yes but refused to reveal what it was about or whom it was with. Slowly sitting up she looked down at her clothing, already noticing they weren't what she'd remembered wearing last. She wore a white robe. Slipping her feet from under the covers over the side of the bed she slowly stood up and cringed at the cold wooden floor.  
"I'm hungry," Nikki randomly stated to one no one in particular seeing as she was the only one around. Reaching for the door she accidentally ran into it. "Ow. That was closer than it looked." She opened the door and cautiously looked out both sides, wondering where in the world she was. It never crossed her mind to go looking out the balcony window...  
"Hello?" She called out. _Oh boy..._ She received no reply and was rather unnerved by the mystical atmosphere around her. "Is anyone here? she called out a little bit louder. Still she received no answer. Deciding to flip a coin to decide which way to go, Nikki reached for her pants pocket only to remember she was wearing a robe, not her usual jeans and sweatshirt.  
"Great," She muttered. "I just go... left." She went left and walked until she reached a four-way hallway. "Crap. I guess I'll go... um... right since I wen tleft last time." She walked until she reached another corridor. Looking one way she saw that more corridors were to come and looking the other she saw a hallway with only one option: a door.  
_What's in there?_ she asked herself. Walking up to it she put her ear to the door and heard voices. It sounded like workers on a lunch break, or something similar. After listening for a minute she realized they were talking about her.  
"Oh no, she's still asleep I believe," came the muffled voice of a woman. Another spoke up.  
"It's so troublesome putting up with her! She thrashed about like a crazy person while bandaging her eye and arm. She slapped me... two times!"  
"Oh lord, get over it. That was hours ago, and it's not like she meant to hit you. Isn't it always you telling others to forgive?"  
The second woman hitched her voice as if she was going to reply but changed her mind and the subject, and asked, "I wonder what is taking Sayaka so long. I swear that child is one of the worst servants I've met. Always getting distracted. Always seeming to clam up in front of the Lords and Lady. Almost disgraceful if you'd ask me!"  
"Sure," the second, kinder sounding woman scoffed, "just change the subject, Katsumi. Especially when you don't know how to defend yourself. You want to know what's disgraceful? You disparaging Sayaka when she isn't here to defend herself, and you don't know what she's doing. For all we know she could be doing something the Lords and Lady asked her to do!"  
Katsumi, the complainer, sniffed indignantly, "Well, excuse me if I'm curious as to why she hasn't returned yet! It's been over five hours since she left to tell the Lord's and Lady that they had visitors."  
"Katsumi... it was only four hours ago. And knowing the Lord's and Lady they may have given her a resting time, or something. They're benevolent like that."  
Nikki backed away from the door and decided to go the other way. Unfortunately as she took the fourth slow step back the wood creaked unnaturally loud. Panicking, as how she was eavesdropping on the two women whom she knew nothing about, and wondering whether they'd heard, she ran as quickly as she could and turned right at the nearest corridor the left at the next nearest. She continued to run, turning corridors, going straight past many, and running down a flight or two of stairs.

- - -

Finally the meeting had ended. The Sandstrykers bid their farewell and left the five rulers behind to talk. Dais sighed.  
"I guess I'll be going to the front lines then, huh?" Sekhmet looked over at him and shrugged.  
"It's not all that bad. The soldiers fight, yes, but they love to be cheered up. Anything fun. Card games, jokes, whatever you can do to make them smile..." Dais, Cale, and Kayura looked awkwardly at Sekhmet before grinning. "I know that sounded really strange coming from me, but you learn to get used to it to get everyone smiling."  
"Especially those female warriors, huh?" Cale grinned. Sekhmet stared blankly at Cale for a minute before his facade started to slip and he looked to Kayura.  
"I'm just trying to give you guys tips for out there."  
"And you're trying to avoid the topic. Lest you forget how boring it can get around here, a love story between you and Miss Who-Knows is all we need to be entertained for hours," Kayura giggled.  
"Whoa, okay, okay. Hold it," Sekhmet cried in defense, blushing. "There is no love story."  
"Just a woman," Dais put in walking away from the group. He quickly changed the subject, leaving Sekhmet gaping. "It's been awhile, Anubis. Do you think she's awake yet?"  
"I'm not sure, but I would bewilling to believe that she is. Sayaka," Anubis turned to Sekhmet, "Would you go tell her to check on our 'patient?'"  
Certainly." Sekhmet turned and left for the Main Hall where they'd left Sayaka to watch over the baby.  
Sayaka was baby-dancing around the entrance singing a lullaby to the baby in her arms. The child was sleeping, leaving a drool mark on the apron she had decided to use as a baby rag.  
"Sayaka," he called out after watching the dance for a minute or so. She immediately stopped, turned to him and bowed.  
"Yes, Milord?"  
"Go check on the other girl. I'll take the baby. May I borrow your apron?"  
"Of course, Milord," she handed the child to him then took the apron off her shoulder and handed it to him. He flipped it onto his shoulder before lying the child against his chest. Sayaka immediately left to go check on the other girl and left Sekhmet alone with the baby girl. He began to hum a tune and walk slowly with the child into the room until he was far enough in to dance a slow-baby-dance with her. As he turned his deep hum turned into a tune, and he soon added words.  
"Soon the war will begin," he sang in his baritone voice, "Soon the fighting will start and the men will all be taken far away to another land to fight the wars of this world. Soon the blood will spill and stain the innocent ground, war will make grown men out of the most of youthful children; war will take us away. We shall soon return; time will heal our wounds; we shall be back so wait here for me. we shall return triumphant; we shall, we shall return so wait for us, my child; we will return in victory... we will return... we will return..." He stopped and looked down at the baby in his arms. He'd heard the song sung a few times out on the battlefield to quell the nerves. Before he could dwell on how true that song was soon to become any longer Sayaka ran into the room panting. In an instant she was bowing on the floor.  
"I am terribly sorry Milord!"  
"What's wrong?" the urgency in his voice awoke the child he held.  
"The girl... she's missing!"  
"WHAT?!"  
"I-I'm so sorry, Milord..." Sayaka trembled.  
"Stand up and take her," Sekhmet demanded shoving the child gently towards the girl whom was up in an instant. She took the baby looking flustered as Sekhmet took off down the hall.  
"She's not there," he abruptly informed as he burst into the throne room. Anubis sat back for a moment then quickly replied.  
"Let us look for her. She can't have gotten far."  
"Anubis, we were in a meeting for over four hours. She could have woken up anytime during that period," Sekhmet pointed out  
All the more reason," Cale spoke up, "To start looking immediately."

- - -

End of chapter one. Wow... after two years, I finally actually typed it up! W00t! Anyway... Here is the first chapter of Passing Along Part 1. Part two won't be uploaded anytime soon and won't have anything to do with Nikki, so don't be expecting Nikki to reappear in Part 2. :)

~Nikki Kino (AN: No, my character does NOT end up with ANY Ronin Warriors character! Don't ask!)


	3. Lost and Found

Passing Along  
Nikki Kino

Chapter Two  
Lost and Found

"Eheheh..." Nikki forced a laugh out as she took in her surroundings. Yes... she was lost. Her stupidity had nearly landed her into trouble a few times as she'd almost been seen by soldiers in some strange armor. She'd gotten a good look at one too. The only thing she really took notice of was that it had eyes - like almost any other human she'd seen - but they weren't like any pair she'd ever seen. Now she stood on a bridge over a sparkling golden pond.  
"Dude, if this is Heaven it kinda sucks. No food, no people - other than those creepy things..." Nikki shuddered, "the sky is yellow and the place feels ancient. I'm so bored... and SO lost." She dropped her face into her arms that were folded on the edge of the wooden bridge. "Mommy... I'm not in New York anymore..."  
After a few seconds she signed and climbed onto the rail of the bridge and sat down with her legs dangling off the side. It was so peaceful, just a little frustrating. The water, the wind, even the white robe she wore gave off a sense of peace. It would've been so much better if she knew where she was.  
Shouting in the distance suddenly reached her ears and out of fear she jumped off the wooden rail back onto the bridge and ran so fast she slipped on her way down the sandy bank to hide. Once under the bridge, her legs and robe wet, she let her heart pound hard enough that she was afraid it would shake the bridge. Nikki didn't quite understand why she was so scared but the oddities of the place didn't leave her reassured. The golden water she stood in was a calm, dark gold color, but not too dark. It sparkled as most water does under sunlight. She jumped when she heard the noises suddenly so much closer than she'd remembered hearing them. In seconds the armored men from before were walking on the bridge just above her.  
"Sorry, Master," a metallic, armored voice began, "We haven't found her yet. She is nearby, but no one seems to be able to locate her. She's good at hiding."  
"Alright," an older voice replied. "Go back to your posts and keep an eye out for her. Remember, she has blond hair, and bandages over her left eye and her left arm."  
"Yes, Master." The sounds of footsteps retreating made her feel safer, but Nikki was positive that this 'Master' was still on the bridge. Her legs began to shake uncontrollably. She confirmed her positive guess that he was still there when she heard the bridge moan as he stepped in a weak spot to lean on the edge of the bridge and sighed. She knew he couldn't see her, but still felt scared he'd be able to if he just leaned his head just a little bit farther. Nikki almost jumped out of her skin when he actually spoke.  
"You know," the voice of the 'Master' spoke, "No one is going to hurt you. You're safe here." He received no reply, so he continued. "The girl you had with you is inside. Other than a few breathing problems which she can overcome if properly treated, she is alright. I promise she's fine. She's a delight to my wife and friends." Nikki still didn't say a thing, and wasn't sure she was willing to believe the wife part. _Even if it is true, that doesn't mean she's a nice person._ Nikki thought. After a short pause he started again, "I'm willing to bet that your left eye needs re-bandaged. Is it hurting?" It most definitely was hurting. At the mention of her eye, Nikki brought a hand up to it and began massaging around the bandages. "You haven't eaten anything in two days according to our time. Surely you must be hungry." _Darn you!_ Nikki berated for attacking her stomach. "Time in the Dynasty runs differently than time in the mortal realm. For example, I'm over four hundred years old." _Yeah, right._ "It's only been a few minutes in your world, compared to two days here. I can return you to your home if you should like." That one almost physically hurt. She needed Shane and Jesse. She needed the kids, and Bobbi Jo. She needed Gabriella, Dan, BAD, and her three David's.  
"I wanna go home," Nikki pitifully mumbled from under the bridge. The man on the bridge above her didn't move for a moment the stretched back and began to move. Suddenly she felt very dumb for saying anything.  
"Alright then. I'm coming down," he warned her to help keep her calm. When the man reached the water, Nikki looked over slowly towards him on her left - her blind side.  
"Are you alright?" He asked, "No one here will hurt you. You are an honored guest here. If anyone were to harm you they would be imprisoned for a long time to come." Nikki looked hard at him as he stretched an arm towards her. She reached for it tentatively, still shaking. "Why? What happened to the World Trade Center? And why is the sky a funky color?!"  
He replied, "You were brought here from the World Trade Center by me. I was able to get you out just before it collapsed."  
"Wait... so that wasn't a dream? I really felt someone pull me into water or something?"  
"Yes, I actually thought I'd find you here because this is where we came into the Dynasty."  
"The Dyna... oh jezz, do I even want to know."  
"Don't worry, you'll figure it all out soon."  
"Doubtful."  
"Let us start off this way. You are in a different dimension from your own and this world is very different from your own." At this point Nikki finally, weakly grabbed his outstretched hand.  
"Uh-huh... you lost me there." He laughed.  
"It's been a year since we've had a visitor from the Mortal Realm. Before those two the only outsiders here have been warriors whom already know about this place... and that wasn't necessarily a visit." They were up on the bridge now and as they walked across Nikki tripped for what seemed to her for the millionth time that day.  
"Gah! I'm normally not this clumsy!" She defended her bride as the man caught her. It was then that she noticed his own eye. It was hidden beneath a black patch, kind of like a pirates only with an understanding, humored smile.  
"I know. Your coordination may be off for awhile until you get used to it."  
"Well, I've walked around while I could only see out of one eye before, how is this any different?"  
"Well, judging differences is easy to do when you still have the nerves to both eyes connected and working, even if one eye is shut. When one of those nerves aren't working it throws things off. For people who don't have much eye-coordination - it can get... tricky."  
"I do have balance problems, I'll admit, but they're not this bad..." He held her hand to help her balance issues as they walked up to the castle talking about her eyesight, or lack-there-of, but Nikki noticed that every single person they past, all concealed in armor, bowed when the two approached until they passed. She knew they were probably bowing for the man walking next to her, but it still unnerved her, especially considering that the only one who'd ever bowed to her was her boyfriend when he got on his knee when he'd asked her to marry him. Now it seems that wedding day may just never come. When they were inside the man led her expertly through the maze of the ancient Japanese castle into a large room containing Four thrones. Three of them were filled when they opened the door but once they entered, the three seated arose to join the two in the doorway.  
"Welcome," The only one with normal colored hair greeted warmly. "We are relieved to find you up and about. My name is Lord Anubis. I am one of the four rulers of this land." Nikki nodded and awkwardy returned his coordial bow.  
"I am Sekhmet, another of the four rulers. It's a pleasure," the man with strange green hair introduced with a bow much like the first man's. She returned it just as slowly as the first.  
"I am Cale. As you might have guessed, I am also one of the four rulers." He bowed also and Nikki, slightly less awkwardly, returned it but was distracted by his cobalt colored hair.  
"And I," the man who'd 'rescued' her announced in a normal tone, "am Dais, the fourth. I have already had the pleasure of meeting you." His long white, thick hair was pulled back into a pony-tail.  
"So, Um..." Nikki asked, "Can I ask why I am here? I mean, what's going on? You kind of started explaining it but we got a little... off-topic. I don't get it..." The three in front of her looked at Dais then pulled her forward and set her down on the step before the throne. Anubis with his long, cinnimon brown hair sat gracefully next to her.  
"The world you belong to is called the mortal realm. It is a place where the rays of the sun hit the earth's surface with a different intensity making the morning sky blue and the night sky a dark indigo, almost black. Here the sky appears yellow during the day and puurple during the night. It's currently transitioning from night to morning, but I'd say that it's mostly done. You've been asleep for a few days." A knock at the door interrupted him and Dais dismissed himself to answer it. "Would you be surprised if I told you that time in your realm is currently running much, much slower?"  
"I believe... Lord.. Dais did mention that. I might believe you on that one too. I think if you told me that monkeys were blue and could fly that I'd probably believe that too right now." Nikki groaned quietly and buried her head in her knees, cradling her bandaged arm and eye when a thought suddenly struck her.  
"Why didn't you save anyone else? There were lots of people there who were dying, like the baby's dad. They were visiting from Taiwan! I don't even know if that baby has a family anymore." She looked up at them suspiciously but calmed as Dais returned from answering the door and handed Nikki the child she was just talking about and had attempted to save. A servant stood composed behind him.  
"I don't know how to say this without stepping on anyone's toes. You remind me very much of Riana, so I'll say this bluntly. You're very special to us. You are one of the only four people who can save this country from destruction. Two have already come before you. Our neighbor to the north is the Empire. To the east, they're the Republic. We of the West are the Dynasty. Our Northern neighbor, the Empire, is ruled by Lord Gaedon, whom intends to take over the Dynasty by starting a war. It's too soon for an answer, but we need to know, are you willing to fight with us?" Sekhmet asked. The way he'd asked it indicated that he didn't **want** an immediate answer.  
Cale spoke before she could say anything, "We returned from your world earlier today after having reported you and this child as found. We ran into a problem however. This child is unknown. She was smuggled into America, therefore we don't have a name. We don't have a family. All we know about her is that she was with you in the World Trade Center. That leads to my point: would you be willing to give her a name so we won't have to continue calling her, 'the child?'" Nikki just looked lost in a daze, but nodded. Anubis picked up on her daze and turned to the servant behind Dais.  
"Sayaka, escort our guest to her room and see that she is comfortable."  
"Yes, Milord." Sayaka bowed.  
"Go with Sayaka and clear your mind. It's your decision to stay or leave, only a few minutes have gone by in the Mortal Realm." Sekhmet took the baby from her arms so she could get up as Dais helped her up with her good arm. Nikki turned to Sekhmet who gave the child back.  
"Thanks," Nikki mumbled sincerely to everyone.  
Sayaka bowed and departed with Nikki following close behind.

--------

"What was your name?" Nikki asked the black haired girl in front of her.  
"My name is Sayaka Mokota, Milady," the servant replied after stopping and turning to face her speaker. Nikki blinked a dozen times or so, trying to register something.  
"Okay, pretty name," Nikki reached to complement.  
"Th-thank you, Milady," Sayaka stuttered. Nikki frowned slightly confused.  
"Um, so, would I just call you Sayaka?" she asked.  
"If that's what you want, then yes, Milady."  
"Then, what if I asked you to call me Nikki?"  
Sayaka looked confused, "Why would you have me call you that, Milady?"  
Nikki smiled, "Because I like my name. I'd like it if you'd call me by my name." Sayaka looked troubled and Nikki frowned, almost sad. "How about just Lady Nikki?"  
Sayaka's severe expression lessened some. "If that's what Milady wants then I will call her Lady N-Nikki." Sayaka blushed from embarrassment. Nikki just smiled.  
"Thank you," she smiled.  
"Um, shall we continue, Lady Nikki?" Sayaka asked, still a slightly red hue in her dark skin.  
"Sure!"

--------

"Well, she took that better than our twins did," Kayura laughed. Sekhmet smiled with his eyebrows raised.  
"She compromised with Sayaka. Riana vehemently refused and Arina felt unworthy. Nikki here compromised with our dear little Sayaka. Maybe we'll get Sayaka to open up yet."  
"She's still not going to be comfortable with it," Cale predicted.  
"Oh?" Sekhmet asked.  
"She's compromised to this point. You have to remember where we picked her up from and where she was before then. She was unsupervised in the World Trade Center, and before then she was living on the streets of Chicago with a bunch of other riff-raffs."  
"Yeah, true. And she seems easy to train," Kayura mused.  
Sekhmet snorted, "Yeah, someone's going to have an easier time than our dear Cale did." Cale snorted and smacked Sekhmet.  
"Oh yes, since you and Dais are the only two left who need to pass your armors on, I'd say you both have a good shot of getting that child as a successor. Oh, say, maybe fifty-fifty?" Sekhmet smacked him back.  
"Yeah, Cale. Ask Anubis. Arina was easy going but definitely not an easy one to train. She was too afraid of hurting anything whether it had life in it or not. She seems similar to Nikki's personality also. Well, from what we know so far at least.  
"Very true," Anubis agreed, "Nikki seems to have Arina's personality with Riana's attitude."  
A terrifying thought to be sure," Sekhmet dead-panned. Cale snorted.  
"Do you think before you let the words spill from your mouth?" he asked.  
"Wait... I'm supposed to? I didn't know I was a local lord!"  
"Alright, that's enough you two," Anubis ordered, stopping them before the name calling started. Once someone was called Daala or Saranbo the battle would be on.  
"Yes, father," they both chimed. Dais smacked them both before Anubis felt the need to.  
"Now, now boys," Kayura chided.  
"Yes, we all need to calm down and quit horsing around. This war that's coming is not a laughing matter," Anubis spoke seriously.  
"Well, we gave her her options. Now we need to blackmail her." Kayura smacked Cale. "WHAT? What else do you want to call it? We're using her emotions against her by showing her the people that will die if she doesn't accept her fate and the armor, the war that will spill into her world if she doesn't stop it, that fact that she, with help, can save our world, and whenever it gets to be too much for her we can send her back to her world. I don't know about you - and this is exactly what we did with both Arina nad Riana - but it's technically called emotional blackmail. Anyone want to try arguing that?"  
"No."  
"Yes."  
"Thank you, Sekhmet. Go figure, Lady Kayura. You're a girl."  
"Whao, WHAT?!" Kayura screamed at Cale nearly launching herself at him.  
Dais held his wife back long enough to nonchalantly knock Cale to the ground.  
"Watch it Cale. She can think of more interesting ways to torture you than I can, and I'll gladly hold you down if you make another comment like that."  
"Thank you sweetheart," Kayura spoke with venom as she glared at the two odd-hair-colored Warlords.  
Cale and Sekhmet looked at each other. "I think I'm heading back to the front lines," Sekhmet announced.  
"I'm thirsty for some action. I'm coming with," Cale agreed. Anubis almost chuckled as they departed to pack for the battle.


End file.
